This application in general relates to improvements in clamping mechanisms which allow rapid clamping and unclamping of parts to be machined.
Clamps are known for holding parts to be machined. In general, such clamps require undesirably large amount of times to clamp and unclamp the parts. When large numbers of parts are being machined, this requirement of clamping and unclamping the prior art clamping structures requires large amounts of set-up toime which is unduly expensive and time-consuming.
In one known type of prior art clamp, one of the clamp jaws includes teeth on a bottom face which mate with teeth on a clamp body such that the clamp face may be set at any one of a number of incrementally adjusted positions relative to the clamp body. Such clamp structures have benefits over the typical prior art clamps in that the clamp jaw may be quickly set a relatively accurate position. This reduces set-up time somewhat. Even so, the incremental adjustment of the clamp jaw reduces the freedom of positioning of the clamp jaw. This is undesirable.
In other prior art structures, it is known to mount a clamp jaw along an inclined face of the clamp body such that when a threaded member is tightened the clamp jaw moves along the inclined face and wedges against a part to be clamped. Such clamp jaws have not been successfully incorporated into practical clamp systems. In large part it is believed that this is because they have been unduly complicated, requiring springs or other types of elements for returning the clamp jaw to its upward position upon release.